Managing Loneliness and Working Away From Home

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There are now six episodes in the DGCOS and National Home Improvement Council’s mental health and wellbeing podcast series. As the nights draw in, The Fabricator focuses on Loneliness When Working Away From Home.

This is the third podcast (scroll down once you reach the website where they are hosted) and features Tony Steel, operations director at Band of Builders and Jonathon Moorhouse, head of business from DGCOS as they explore loneliness. They consider how much of a problem is, along with strategies to manage it – including the downside of using drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms.

They signpost hubs that are there to help.

What is loneliness?

Moorhouse comments that it’s a misconception that loneliness is only something that you feel when you are on your own. You can be with people or a group and still feel lonely. Sometimes work contracts can last weeks away at a time and of course, we all miss our families when we’re away from them.

Steel adds that no matter how well you off you are in terms of friends and family, there are always going to be situations where you are going to go through loneliness and really feel it. He says: ”There are going to be situations where you feel lonely, regardless of how much you are surrounded by friends and family. When you recognise this, it can become clearer to accept that there are strategies that you can put in place, even when you’re working away from home.

“Sometimes just even having the awareness that you’re getting sucked into unhealthy lifestyles – a couple of drinks at the bar every evening – can help prevent really bad habits developing that are detrimental to mental health. The topic of drugs and alcohol is probably one of the most difficult to get people to admit to. Avoidance and shying away usually means the loneliness, often mixed with feelings of guilt, builds to become overwhelming.”

Steel’s opinion is backed up by stark statistics: in 2021, 507 constructions workers took their own lives. That’s almost the equivalent of two workers every working day. 

Help is at hand

The podcast also explores good ways of coping with loneliness. If you are working away for particularly long periods of time, there are options out there such as local clubs or some sort of sport. In many instances, physical exercise has an immediate and very positive effect on your mental health. Thirty minutes of sport a week is the same dopamine release as small levels of anti-depressants. Pack your trainers, have a walk, run, play golf, explore new surroundings, run or use a hotel gym where possible. Fresh air is magical.

Seek support from dedicated groups such as Band of Builders and others listed in the show notes. Moorhouse shares that he personally reached out to Andy’s Man Club when his brother took his own life and comments: “One of Andy Man’s Club advisors got me through one of the toughest times of my life.”

Moorhouse adds: “Whether it’s through organisations, charities, friends or colleagues, the first step is be open and share your feelings of loneliness. We can all step in too and play our role by getting in touch with people to see how they’re doing. Checking in with your colleagues who are working remotely can really change the course of their day.

Make contact

If you are reading this and struggling now, regardless of whether you’re a DGCOS member or not, the organisation urges you to reach out for confidential 24/7 support by texting HARDHAT on 85258.

To access the podcast – Click Here

Picture: The DGCOS & NHIC mental podcast series is running now.

www.installers.dgcos.org.uk

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
18th October 2023

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